What a lovely post, Maren. I agree completely and have had similar experiences. I think it is especially important that you bring this up to remind us to always come from that place no matter what. We so often forget and go into reaction when someone lashes out at us and that only makes things worse…and it takes us out of Love. This lesson, one of so many I was introduced to in my work with you, has served me very well. Thanks to my guides, it is one I am still given opportunities to work on! 🙂
This brings to mind another lesson we worked on. Perhaps you could also comment on what constitutes a loving act as well. Something that I have had to learn in my life is that just because what you’re doing looks like a loving act of kindness, that doesn’t always mean it serves the highest good of the other person or yourself. Which, to me, means it is not truly loving.
As I have become more aware of this and more comfortable with my process of questioning whether my action serves the highest good, I have begun to observe around me others engaging in what I would have, in the past, believed was a loving act. Now, however, I am beginning to be able to discern when these seemingly loving acts are really done from a very self-serving place with little regard for the highest good of the receiver of the act. This discernment has served me so well. It has kept me from “taking sides.” It has given me the ability to remain neutral in a way I was never able to in the past. And I believe this helps me to stay in a loving space overall.
I remember in a session with you long ago, you told me the story of a man who chose to come back to this human experience as a homeless person. He had his reasons. Those who allowed him, on this human plane, to degenerate into homelessness were serving his highest good as part of the agreements they had made before coming into this experience.
And while I have forgotten the specifics and details of this story, I’m pretty sure the overall jist is true to what you were expressing to me. That very important concept, has served me well and I have held onto it as a very important lesson.
Not that we shouldn’t offer sincere kindness for those in need, but we should always be aware of our motivation, we should always look for what the person is willing to receive, and we should always ask that we be guided to act in the highest good for all. Thank you, Maren! My life is richer, healthier, and happier as a result of the work we did together.
Dear Cindra,
I remember our conversation years ago. It was when you went through the training program with me which is now my coaching program. Although your recollection of the story is a little vague, I really like your version a lot. It’s as pure as the one I shared with you originally.
Yes, I agree with you with what you have shared here that sometimes we believe we are giving love when what we (or others) are giving is actually self-serving. Perhaps we help someone who is struggling in their life.
We give them a hand up, but in truth, deep within our minds, maybe even at an unconscious level, we see them as beneath us. Perhaps, we see ourselves as above them because we have not made the same choices that brought them to this point. We believe we are better somehow because it appears our lives are “together” and theirs are not.
Perhaps there are those people who have done something in their lives that we believe we would never do and we judge them. We see ourselves as superior. We do not know what has brought them to this place and the balancing act being played out on so many more levels than we can understand. We do not see that our judgments are generated by the fear that we have it in us to be or do what they have. In truth, we are judging ourselves and projecting our guilt onto them. Thanks again, Cindra. I remember the original story and will share that soon.
Best, Maren Nelson
Minister of Mind/Body Healing
Life Breath Integrations
maren@marennelson.com
